Speech performance in adult patients undergoing Invisalign treatment

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Speech Science
• Acoustic Analysis

Background:

• Orthodontic treatments, including clear aligners like Invisalign, are increasingly popular among adults.
• The impact of these appliances on speech production and intelligibility is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of Invisalign clear aligner treatment on the speech performance of adult patients.
• To compare speech changes in patients treated with Invisalign versus those using traditional fixed labial appliances.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 24 adult Invisalign patients and 20 adult patients with fixed labial appliances.
• Speech recordings were taken at three time points: before treatment (T0), immediately after (T1), and two months post-treatment (T2).
• Speech was assessed using objective acoustic analysis, semiobjective evaluation by speech-language pathologists, and subjective patient questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Objective acoustic analysis revealed statistically significant speech differences over time for Invisalign patients.
• Semiobjective analysis indicated significant speech alterations in both groups, with a more pronounced effect in the Invisalign group over two months.
• Subjective patient perception showed significant differences between the Invisalign and fixed groups at both one and two months post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• Invisalign treatment leads to significant, measurable changes in adult speech.
• Despite some patient adaptation, speech performance does not return to baseline levels within two months of initiating Invisalign therapy.